When you think about green beauty, the first thing that probably pops into your mind would be skincare, or maybe makeup – but have you ever thought about what’s in your nail polish? These days, there are many brands on the market who all have a different view on the conventional nail polish, each with their own solution.

Most people know that the chemicals in nail polish are very harmful for our environment and our health. While these chemicals have served their purpose when it comes to nail polish (they are effective and aesthetically pleasing), continued exposure to these chemicals can compromise the skin, the immune system and even hormonal development. So, if you’re just as fed up as we are with putting a bunch of chemicals on your nails and seeing them be destroyed time after time, then let us guide you into the world of “non-toxic” or better, less toxic and water-based nail polish.

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TOXIC-FREE NAIL POLISH

Nowadays there are many brands who refer to their nail polishes as “10-free”, “12-free” or even “13-free”. The bottom line: this means that they use less toxic chemical ingredients in their formulations. These nail polish companies have eliminated animal derivatives and also alcohol from their INCIs, one of the main chemicals you’ll find in conventional nail polishes.

However, most of these nail polishes are not water-based and still contain micro-plastic or rely on synthetic ingredients. Most of the conventional nail polish brands have been selling 3-free and 5-free polishes for quite a while already. With that being said, many of those same brands have been offering vegan colors for several years, as well; you will notice this when you read the ingredient label of the nail polish in your cupboard. Except for a few colors – including, for example, that red you love to wear – many of the polishes are already made with synthetic (vegan) colors.

At Amazingy, we offer a few different nail polish ranges. One of our most notable is an Australian brand called Kester Black – all of its products are cruelty-free, carbon-neutral & vegan. It features a 10-free formula that does not contain formaldehyde, toluene, DBP, camphor, formaldehyde resin, xylene, parabens, fragrances or phthalates.

We also offer the cruelty-free vegan brand OZN, which is produced within Germany (#supportyourlocalbusiness).

WATER-BASED NAIL POLISH

When it comes to water-based nail polish, the chemical solvents (like toluene and acetates) are partially replaced by water. Most water-based nail polishes are environmentally friendly, do not dry or discolor nails, are odor-free, non-flammable and contain mineral pigments and natural colorants. Note: not every water-based nail polish is vegan; this often depends on the specific color and the brand as a whole.

Some backstory: in the early 00’s, a chemist named Yingchun Liu (with a background in both polymer & organic chemistry)¹ made a huge wave in the beauty market. Ying had a young daughter who wanted to experiment with nail polish, and she just didn’t like the idea of her 7 year-old playing with nasty chemicals. Therefore, she came up with the idea of a water-based nail polish – one which was designed to provide the same quality & finish as conventional nail polish, but without the usual toxic chemicals and pollutants.

The idea of water-based nail polish was picked up by several other women rather quickly, and by the end of 2010, a few other brands had already entered the market. Among these brands was Scotch Naturals, founded by Ginny Gardenas (who essentially had the same story as Ying) Scotch Naturals was huge in the U.S., and even though the brand has stopped making their nail polishes, they are still highly sought after on reselling sites.

Halfway through 2018, Nailmatic – a French brand famous for their nail colour vending machines – released their first water-based nail polish. The nail polish is comprised of 54-55% water and doesn’t have that chemical smell most conventional nail polishes reek of. The most controversial thing about Nailmatic is that not all of their nail polishes are vegan, but you can find their Aqua range online and in-store at Amazingy. (Since last year, German brands like Gitti are offering water-based & vegan nail polishes, as well.)

PEEL-OFF NAIL POLISH 

A peelable nail polish is a nail polish that doesn’t require any remover – firstly, this is already a huge plus, as you won’t be using chemical nail polish remover (which is bad for the environment and doesn’t help for the well-being of your nails & cuticles, either). The formula contains synthetic ingredients such as film-builders and plasticizers, such that the peel-off polish dries into an elastic film on the nail that’s peelable afterwards. Often, peelable nail polish is offered as water-based nail polish – the Base Coat – Paula from OZN, for example, can be peeled off after drying. Ying’s brand Suncoat offers a few vegan friendly colors, and there’s also the water-based, peel-off nail polish brand Namaki, which is especially designed for children who want to experiment with nail polish and has our Amazingy stamp of approval ?

We can conclude that there are, indeed, many options for less toxic nail polish nowadays. In my opinion, the one that works the best for you depends on yourself, your needs and your preferences. Hopefully, the world and our own health will be a little less toxic with the introduction of these greener alternatives. That way, we can keep creating the most beautiful nail art with a little less guilt about all the chemicals that we put on our nails.

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Sources:
1. https://suncoatproducts.com/our-story/
2. https://www.byrdie.com/water-based-nail-polish